Crude-oil tank



INVENTOR. war Ham; 2%,

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

H. HEMPEL.

CRUDE OIL TANK. FILED MAY 21 1919 WITNESS.-

Feb. 6, 1923.

Feb. 6, 1923. 1,444,246. H. HEM PEL.

CRUDE OIL TANK.

FILED MAY 21,1919. 3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESS: I Y I INVENTOR.

Feb. 6, 1923. 1,4442%. Ht HEMPEL.

CRUDE OIL TANK.

FILED MAY 21,1919. -3 SHEETS---SHEET 3.

WITNESSQ 11v VENTOR.

Eezzry Eazr agzl.

sinner HEMPEL, or'oeon, onnano itni CRUDE-OIL. TANK.

To all whom/it 492a concern: 1

Be it known that 1, HENRY HEMPEL, a citizen of the 'United States, residing at Gage, in thecounty of Ellis and State of 5 Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crude-Oil Tanks, of which the -following is a specification.

This invention pertains to crude oil tanks Y and While not restricted to any particular character of such tanks or service, relates more especially to that class of tanks known as stock tanks, into which oil direct from the Wells is discharged, after passing successivelyjhrough Whatis known ssfgun bar rel tanks, for the removal of water from the oikand one or more settling tanks Wherelay-the heaviest constituents ()fOll are re-- .inored in: a short time. lt is ui'iiversal knowledge-among oil opfilzltfilfi that large quantities of the most valnaible part of crudeoiliarelost by eyapora- .tion on account of improper storing; and hau dlinghefore the oil reaches the re: net-y, and I have found that a large proportion of thisloss can be traced in the passage of the oil from the Wells to the stock tanks One common practice at the present time is to heat the oil in the gun barrel tank to facilitate its settling and this heating fa- 1 'tates evaporation of a. percentage. of the lighter and more vbla-tile constituents of fthe oil. 'li here is also the custom of heating the-oil in the settling tank and this likewise induces evaporation and loss of a percentage of the mostvaluable constituents oi the.

' oi l.' The object ofiny invention is to produce a tank wherein provision is made for trapping the heavier constituents of the oil after the samehas passed through the gun ifde- 1 oil, as desi red; is to provide: ji'neai to the trapped on for the trapped he "Another obge giving direct acces udetc-rinining the depththereof in the tank,

to Another object is to provide means for "washins: "or scouring the trap with Lafliquid cleansing-agent. dn'ce a construction Wh i'e'by an attendant a still furthe "'fobject is to pro- .t I may on er the trap when the tank is empty.-

it-l these general objects in view the invention consists in. certain novel and useful features off-parts as hereinafter described and claimed; and in order that it IINIV be fully understood reference is to be'lia d to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a View partly in side elevation and partly in central vertical section, of an oil tank embodying the invention. .Figure 2, is a horizontal, section. on the irregularline HQQI of Figure 1.

Figure 3, is a horizontal section on the line HI -HI ofFignre 5.

Figiu e 4 is horizontal section on the line 1V-IV of Figure 5. I i

Figure -S is ztdetailed View partlyin side elevation and partly in central vertical sec tion of the dome elementof the tank; said figure being taken right angles to the view oi?- the dome disclosed by Figure l and on a largerscele. v v

Reiierringto the drawings in detail, 1- :indica teslatank of any suitable or-preferrcd construction; the shot-tom. 2 sloping downwardly and inwardly and at- ;its, central portion, preferably consisting ota cast section 3 having a central discharge opening (4. said section 3 being provided with a series of upwardly projecting lugs 5 to fo-rinflsupa "ports for a dome constructed follows:

A vertical cylindrical member 6. is formed in its lower end with a series ofopenings 7, and between the same stands upon and is bolted to the lugs Saidmemberiis provi'ded at its upper margin 'With an enlai go ment 8 receiving a superposed member :9, and interlocking the two me'mbers together as regards lateral movement thereof, and said. member 9 is provided with an inwardly hereinafter mentioned, and is also provided at. its upper margin with an outwardlyproectingvflange 1l.-i,and.w1th stifiening ribs or braces .12 forsaidfiange. The flange is provided with. upwardly projecting radial for".

inner ends.

ribs provided nith recessesv 1% :in their "Superposed to member is a frustum shaped n ember lfi'forrestlng upon said ribs 13, and said frustumshaped member is proyided with a depending flange l6 engaging the recesses 14 of said ribs for the purpose of projecting shoulder. 10 as a stop for apart .i

lid

interlocking said member 9 and together as rega ds lateral movement, the said ribs 13 spacing the said members apart to provide a series of ports 17 leading from above the flange 11 to the interior of the dome.

The frustum shaped member is provided. in its upper edge with a groove 18, and above said member is a conical cap or; member 19 having a marginal flange "20 engaging groove 18 and a gasket 21 within said groove, the gasket serving to establish. a liquid tight. joint between the frustum shaped and cap members, and the latter is provided at its upper end or apex with a threaded opening 22 for enga gel'nent with the threaded lower end of a vertical tube 23 extending through and projecting from the top of the tank as a vent and for another purpose hereinafter mentioned 24: is a downwardly tapering partition ringlsecured at its upper edge to the wall of the tank and at its lower edge to the outer edge of the flange ll, which partition ring in. conjunction with the dome constitutes a ported false bottom for the tank, and in order to brace the said talse bottom and aid in securing the dome in position, an up- I wardly and inwardly tapering partition ring 25 is secured at its outer margin to the tank and at its inner margin to said flange '31,

this artition rin' constitutin r if imJerto &

rate as shown, the top of the trap or chamber lying between the real and false bottoms of the tank, it being noted that it may be desirable to additionally brace the false bottom by the 'useot bracing brackets or stand ards 26, secured to the partition ring 945 at their lower ends and to the false bottom or partition ring 24 at their upper ends. With the construction as shown it is obvious that oil introduced within the tank is free to pass through the ports 17 into the dome and thence. through openings 7 into the trap. As it is desirable at times to cut oil this co1nmunication between the interior of the tank above the false bottom and the underlying trap, a ring valve 27 fits snugly in the dome and normally stands within the trust-um shaped member thereofl-the said valve being preferably provided with packing rings 28 like a piston for engaging the wall of the dome with a fluid tight relation. This valve is adapted to be lowered at times so as to close the inner ends of the ports 17, the shoulder 10 limiting downward movement of the valve, as indicated "by Figue *To guide the valve in its upward and downward movement, it is provided with a pair of inwardly projecting lugs 29 engaging vertical guide rods 30 secured to inwardly proje-ct ing lugs 31 of member 6 of the dome. To impart upward and downward movement to the valve, it is provided with ears 31 pivotally connected by links 32- to interzneshing gear wheel segments 33 secured upon a pair fineness of: parallel shafts 3% journaled. in the mem her 5. one of said shafts extending out through the wall ot' the ank and being equipped with a handle whereby both sets of segment gears may be simultaneously opleaves the center of the dome unobstructed,

in order that a testing device inserted through the tube 23. may be arrested by a depth plate 36 fitting within the member 6 oi? the dome and resting upon the lugs 5 ot the bottom of the tank. The testing device (not shown) is merely a rod upon which may be gathered a coat of heavy oil extendinn from the bottom of the rod at the depth plate to the level of the surface of such oil in the dome, to show approximately the quantity of such oil it it stands to a depth as high or higher than the level of ports 17. It will be noticed that the weight of the valve ten ls to hold it open, as the lines of the pivotal points of links 82 stand slightly oil center with respect to the axes oi" shafts 34. It will be understood that the depth plate by resting on the lugs 5 is spaced from the ta iering bottom and hence does not interfere with the flow of oil to the discharge opening" t of the bottom, and thence through a discharge pipe 3? connected to said opening 4 and provided with a controlling valve at an accessible point. For drawing oil oil from the tank above the false bqttom the latter is provided. at its lowestpoint with an opening 39 with which communicates a valve-controlled'discharge pipe 40.

When a. tank of this character is charged with. oil it is free to flow into the trap through the ports 17, and if left to settle for a short period as is customarv, heavy constituents of the oil will enter the trap. When the oil stands a suilicientlength of time for this settling of its heavv constituents to'occur, oil from above the false bot tom can be drawn ofi' by opening the valve of pipe 40, in factall of the oil from above the false bottom may be drawn off if desired without disturbing the oil in the trap. If the oil is of good quality, the tank may be filled and emptied above the trap a number of times before a sufficient volume of the heavy oil has been trapped to make it ad.- visable to withdraw such heavy oil from the trap. hen this time occurs the operator, if the tank contains oil above the false bot tom. will operate lever 35 to close the valve 27. The valve 38 is then opened to permit the heavy oil to drain from the trap, all (if the oil being free to escape because it can flow to the discharge opening 4 between the lugs 5 and under the depth plate 36. When the valve 27 is closed, oil may be drawn ofi easier accomplishment ofithis purpose aperforated spray pipe 41 is secured 'in the trap and is controlled by a valve 42. Water or any other liquid or solution under pressure -or otherwise may-be introduced and discharged within the tank, and drained from the latter through the pipe 37.

. If it becomes advisable at any time to effective cleaning thereof, it can be doneafter the tank is emptied, by lifting the frustum shaped and cap members from position. A workman may then have access to the trap through the ringvalve or an opening 7. e 7 Ti From the above description it'will be apparent that I have produced a crude oil tank which possesses all of the advantage pointed out,.and while I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of the same I reserve the right to all changes falling within the principle of construction involved.

I claim: V

1. An oil tank provided with a bottom and having a false bottom comprising a partition and a dome, the latter communicating with the chamber below thefalse bottom and having ports communicating with the tank above the false bottom, a depth plate onthe real bottom, a tube extending from said dome up through the tank in ali'nement with said depth plate, a valve for closing communication'between the interior of the tank and the dome at a point above the false bottom, and independent means for drawing off oil from above and below the' false bottom.

2. An oil tank, having a dome n'ising from the bottom thereof, a false bottom for said tank through which the dome projects; said false bottom having its outer edge secured to the wall of the tank and its inner edge secured to said dome, the latter having aseries-of ports establishing communication between the interior of the tank above said false bottom and the interior of the dome, a valve for closing said ports, a depth plate on the real bottom of the tank within said dome, a tube extending vertically from said dome in line with said plate, and independ ent means for withdrawing oil from the tank, above and below said false bottom.

3. An oil tank, having a dome rising from the bottom thereof, a false bottom for said tank through which the dome projects; said false bottom tapering downwardly and 1n wardly and having its upper edge secured to the wall of the tank and its lower e'dgc'secured to said dome; said dome having a series of ports above said false bottom for establishing communication between the interior of the dome and the tankabove said false bottom, an annular valve within said dome, means for operating said valve to close or open communication betweenfthe interior of the tank above the false bottom 7 and the interior-of the dome, independent means for withdrawing the contents of the tank above and below the false bottom thereof, a depth plate on the real bottom of the tank within said dome a tube extending vertically from said dome, in line with said plate. scrape t-heinterior of the trap for the more a. An oil tank having a downwardly tapering bottom and a discharge opening at the lowest point of said bottom, a dome mounted upon said bottom around said open ing and provided with openings in the lower part of its wall and with a series of ports in a plane above that occupied ,by said openings, the dome above said por s tapering upwardly, a downwardly and i wardly tapering false bottom secured at its upper edge to the wall of the tank and a its lower edge to said dome in a plane below the ports thereof but above the openings, an annular valve fittingsnugly in the dome, and manually operable means for imparting vertical movement to said valve to effect the closure of said ports.

5. An oil tank, having a downwardly tapering bottom and a discharge opening at the lowest point of said bottom, a dome mounted upon said bottom around said opening and provided wlith openings in the lower part" of its wall and with a series of ports in a plane above that occupied by said openings, the dome above said ports tapering upwardly, a downwardly and inwardly tapering false bottom secured at'its upper edge to the wall of the tank and at its lower edge to said dome in a plane between the openings and portions thereof, an upwardly and inwardly extending partition secured to the wall of the tank and to said dome and the downwardly and inwardly sloping false bot- 11'5 tom, an. annular valve fitting snugly in the dome, and manually operable means for imparting vertical movement to said valve to effect the-closure of said ports.

6. An oil tank having a downwardly tapering bottom and a discharge opening at the lowest point of said bottom, a dome mounted upon said bottom around said opening and provided with openings in the lower part of its wall and with a series of ports in a plane above that occupied by the said openings, the dome above the said ports tapering upwardly, a downwardly and inwardlyta-pering false bottom secured at its upper edge to the Wall of the tank and at its lower edge to said dome in the pie; e of the lower margins of said :ports, a n annular valve within the domefe piureiity of vertie cal guides for said valve-twopairs ofintergeared sectors within the dome, links plivotallyconnecting sa id sectors; with the valve, and an opei-etingshai't suitably journaled in the lower partof-the tank and in the Willi.

of the dome and rigidly carrying-one of each of said pairs of sectors.

7 An oil tank having a dome rising from the bottom thereof, and comprising alower portlon h: ving openmge, an intermediate portion upon the lower portion end inter locked therewith against lateral movement and provided with an outwardly projecting flange, a partition extendihgimvarmy and upwardly from thewall of the tank to said flange and fastened to the'iatter ami to the wall of the teniemiiiairibe upon fiei'i e, a conical member resting upon said ribs and interlocked therewith regards iateml mo en'mnt-emi spaced by said ribs from said flange to provide interveniiig Spa-(8301' ports, a conical cap fitting with a liquid tight joint upon. said conical member and covering the interior of the dome, a downwardly and inwardly tapering false bottom secured, at its upper edge to the well of the tank and at its lower edge to the outer margin of said flange, n valve-controlled pipe communicating with the tank above said false bottom, and a velve-conti'oiied drain pipe connected. to the tank below the false bottom.

.In testimony whereof X afiix my signature.

HE NRY HEMPEL. 

